80 % sexual abuse cases involve children

OVER 80 percent recorded cases of sexual abuse involve children, says World Vision Survivor Support Programme Chief of Party, Annie Banda.

Ms Banda said 82 percent of sexual abuse cases under Gender Based Violence (GBV) cited girls as young as 12 years, most of who have become pregnant or infected with HIV.

Ms Banda based her statistics according to the World Vision GBV Survivor Support Programmes report.

She said the programmes have targeted 16 districts across Zambia where women were being offered emergency medical attention for post-rape counselling and treatment.

She said over 65,000 reports have been recorded at the one -stop facilities established at various health facilities in the country since 2012 at a cost of US $16 million.

“Over 65 000 GBV cases have been reported to the one stop survival support centres managed by World Vision in 16 districts, with 10 percent of all these cases being sexual abuse of which 82 percent are children victims.

“This is a clear reflection that many children out there are suffering sexual violence but we all know that a child’s case is reported for on their behalf, and culturally, adults sit on these issues for fear of embarrassing the family,” explained Ms Banda.

Ms Banda made the remarks in Lusaka yesterday during the official launch of a campaign dubbed ‘‘Every Hour Matters’’ whose objective was to sensitise society on the availability of emergency interventions for Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PeP) within 120 hours against HIV and contraception against pregnancy in 72 hours.

Earlier, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Health Administration, Jabin Mulwanda, expressed concern over escalating GBV cases in the country saying they required a multi-sectoral approach.

Dr Mulwanda said with 47 percent of married women suffering GBV, there was need to upscale interventions without which the effects significantly affect their wellbeing.

“Zambia has one of the highest number of GBV intimate partner violence with 47 percent of married women experiencing some form of GBV which range from physical violence, emotional and early child marriage among others.

“GBV affects significantly all aspects of a woman’s health, physout, sexual and emotional wellbeing. It has a great impact on her lifestyle,” said Dr Mulwanda.

He appealed to journalists to help disseminate positive messages to support the programme.